Machine for applying closure caps to receptacles



" 4 Sheet's-Sheet 1 1 (v6 m V n/ INVENTOR 9 6M 4 #1 June 19, 1928.

J. 1 SHARP MACHINE FOR APP-LYING CLOSURE- CAPS TO REcEPTAcLES' Filed June 4, 19 4 WITNE SSE SS dfn wm June 19, 1928.- 1,674,266

J. E. SHARP MACHINE FORQAPPLYING CL'OSURE CAPS TO RECEPTACLES Filed June 4, 1924 4 SheetS-Sheet 2 wl'mzs'szss INVENTOR W )LA {122 @3641;

June 19, I928. J. E. SHARP mourns FOR APPLYING CLOSURE CAPS TO RECEPTACLES 4 Sheets$heet 4 Filed June 4, 1924 INVENTOR wnwsssss Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES Ion a. mm, or raw mmsmeron, rnnnsitvanm, assrouon r ummwn COMPANY OI AMERICA, PENNSYLVANIA.

OI PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OI FOR APPLYING CLOSURE CAPS '10 BEOEF'IAOLES.

Application filed June 4,

This invention relates generally to spinning machines, and particularly to a spinning machine for applying closure caps to bottles or similar receptacles.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine for applying closure caps to receptacles adapted to spin the material forming the cap into intimate contact with the exterior surface of the neck portion of the receptacle which is comparatively simple in construction, compact, durable, ighly efiicient and semi-automatic in operation.

It is a special ob'ect to provide a machine ofthe character re erred to which will function to exert a predetermined pressure between the ca and the receptacle, axially of the receptac e, during the spinnin operation whereby to insure hermetic sea ing.

It is another special object to provide a machine which will not only e'fi'ectively force the material of the closure cap into intimate contact with the neck of the receptacle but will conform the same in accordance therewith when threaded necks are em loyed.

26 A still further special object 1s to provide a machine adapted to apply closure caps to cxteriorly threaded necks of receptacles in such manner as to obviate the necessity of relative turning movement between the 80 cap and receptacle during application of the cap but will readily permit the subsequent removal and re-apphcation of the cap in the well known fashion customarily used in connection with threaded caps.

An important object of the invention is the provision of mechanism which will automatically accommodate at all times the spinning elements employed to the contour of the parts with which they are brought into contact whereby to accurately shape the depending skirt of the cap overlyin the threaded neck of the receptacle and ollow the formed threads of the neck throughout their entire extent regardless of the particu- 46 lar portions contacted thereby, regardless of irregularities and deformations in the shape of the neck of the receptacle or the threads formed thereon, and without exerting a crushing efiect upon the receptacle.

These and other objects of the invention will more fully appear when taken in conjunction with the following description and the ap ended claims.

In t c accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is I an elevational view 1924. Serial N0. 717,724.

showing the preferred embodiment of the invention, together with the operating mechanism used 1n conjunction therewith; Fig. 2 a fragmentary vertical sectional view, showing the spinning head, with the parts in the relative positions which they assume prior to the bringing of the receptacle into position to initiate the spinning operation, this section bein taken subst ntially on the line II-II of %ig. 5; Fig. 3 a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the relative positions which the parts assume after the receptacle has been elevated to a position to cause the spinning or sha ing elements to be brought mto operation; l ig. 4 a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line IV--IV of Fig. 2; Fi 5 a similar view taken on the line V-V l i 2; Fig. 6 a fragmentary detailed view part y in elevation and partly in section, showing the association of the several parts for causing swingin movement of the spinning disc radially of the spinning head; and Fig. 7 a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

In the drawings, 1 designates a car casing or housing containing any suita le gearing adapted to rotate the u standing shaft 2 and t e shaft to which t e cam 3 is attached, while 4 designates a foot pedal conveniently located for controlling the actuation of the'said gearing. Located at one side of the casing 1, and guided in any suitable manner for vertical reciprocating movement is a rod 5. Preferably, the lower end of the rod 5 is equipped'with an anti-flaw tion roller 6 which rides upon the cam 3 and'its upper end is attached to a slide 7 dovetailed to the side of the casing at 8. Surmounting the slide 7 is a table 9 upon which is adapted to rest the receptacle to which the closure caps are to be applied. One of these receptacles is indicated at 10, and as illustrated is in the form of a bottle. It is to he understood, however, that the machine forming the subject of this invention. and to be presently described, is intended not solely for use in connection with bottles but with receptacles generally of the same general nature.

Extending upwardly from the top of the casing 1 is a standard 11 equipped with the laterally extending brackets 12 and 13. Pivotally mounted to the bracket 13 as at It is a rocker arm 15, one end of which is adapted to be; urged upwardly by means of a coil spring 16 supported by a seat-washer 17 associated with an upstanding bolt 18 attached to the bracket 12. The tension of spr ng 16 may be varied by adjusting the position of the washer 17 by means of nuts 19, and preferably the height of the standard 11 may be regulated b means of its threaded connec tion with t 1e casing shown at 20, this for the purpose of adjusting the distance of the spinning mechanism, forming the sub ect matter of this invention at various distances from the supporting table 9 so as to accommodate the apparatus for use in connection with receptacles of various heights.

The extremity of the bracket 13 is provided with an enlarged'apertured boss 21 in which is anchored the cylindrical sleeve 22 provided with the lower flanged extremity 23 and the exteriorly threaded portion 24 adjacent its upper end. The sleeve 22 is adapted to fit within the central a ertured hub portion 25 of a plate 26, the ange 23 fitting within a recess 27 formed in the hub. The hub 25 is located between the flange 23 and the lower end of the boss 21, and is anchored in position, together with the sleeve 22, by means of a nut 28 cooperating with the threaded extremity 24. Bolted to the plate 26, as at 29, 29, is a depending annular trackwa 30, having the inner face of its lower e ge equipped with a curved cam surface 31. I

Mounted for longitudinal reei rocating movement within the bore of the s eeve 22 is a shaft 32. This shaft is capable of longitudinal movement, being held against rotary movement by means of a key 33 fitting neatly within a recess of corresponding length formed in the body of the shaft, the portion of the key projecting beyond the periphery of the shaft extending within an elongated slot 34 formed upon the inner face of the sleeve 22, the slot 34 being considerably longer than the length of the key 33, as clearly shown in Figs; 2 and 3 of the drawings. The shaft 32 is of substantially uniform. cross section throughout its extent from its upper end to the shoulder 35 below which itis slightly enlarged, and is provided at its lower extremity with the radial flange 36. The shaft 32 is centrally cored at its lower end, being recessed throughout approximately half its length. The wall of the recess adjacent its open end is threaded, as shown at 37, for cooperation with the exterior threads formed upon a sleeve 38 anchored to the shaft 32, and in order to lock the sleeve. 38 in any adjusted position, the lock nut 39 is provided. The lower extremity of the sleeve 38 is slightly enlarged, and is equipped with a suitably shaped depression 40 which is adapted to cooperate with the closure cap together with the head of a yielding plunger and serve as a fixed abutment thereforin a manner to be subsequently described more in detail.

Slidingly mounted within the bore of the sleeve 38 and projecting within the cored out recess of the shaft 32 is a lon itudinally reciprocating plunger 41 having tried to its lO\\0-I (Xtl8Il1ltX a removable head 42 adapt-- ed to seat within a cut-away portion com: municatlng with. the depression 40 rovided in. the enlarged extremity of the s eeve 38.

The upper end of the plunger 41 has threaded thereon the nuts 43 which serve as an abutment for one end of 'a coil spring 44 having its opposite end seated'upon the bottom of the bore within the shaft 32.

Rotatably mounted upon the enlarged lower end of the shaft 32 is a head indicated generally at 45. The revoluble head 45 is be placed adjacent the nut 48 and flange 36,

respectively, in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, and for supplying lubricant to the contacting surfaces between the liner 47 and shaft 32 an oil conducting pipe 50 maybe provided.

Extending radially from the hub 46 are a plurality of spider arms 51, 51 and 51 merging at their outer ends into the cylindrical peripheral portion 52 provided on its outer peripheral surface with a depressed belt groove 53, and having depending therefrom a plurality of spaced fingers 54, 54' and 54". Attached to the lower extremities of these fingers, as by bolts 55, is a guide bell 56 having an opening 57 at its central part surrounded by the int-urned edge 58.

Suitably mounted in bosses formed in the hub portion 46 are a plurality of rock shafts 59, 59 and 59", spaced preferably 120 degrees apart, in the manner shown in Fig. 5. Since these rock shafts are identical in construction, and have similar parts attached thereto, it will be necessary to describe in detail but one of the rock shafts, with its associated elements.

Attached to the upper extremity of the rock shaft 59 is a two-part lever 60. One part of the lever, indicated at 61, is provided with a boss keyed to the rock shaft at 62 and has extending therefrom the arm 63 and lug 64. The remaining part of the lever is indicated at 65, being in the form of an arm rotatably mounted upon the upper extremity of the rock shaft and carrying the anti-friction roller 66. Formed inte alortion of 1y with the arm and depending there rom 73 is a spinning disc portion thereof is slightly reduced as shown I apertured through which the body of a bolt 68 extends wit-h a coil spring 69 interposed between the nuts 70 attached thereto and the depending lug 67 for the purpose of forming a yielding connection between the two parts of the lever while permitting slight relative movement therebetween under certain conditions of operation.

Attached to the lower extremity of the rock shaft 59 is an inwardly extending arm 71' provided with an apertured boss 72 at its extremity. Journaled for rotating movement within the boss 72 is the portion 73 of a spinning tool indicated generally at 74. A suitable bushing 75 is preferably interposed between the part 73 and boss 72. Attached to the lower ortion of the put 6 while the upperat 77 and carries a nut 78 at its extreme upper end. For resiliently urging the spinning tool upwardly axially of the rotatable head 45, a coil spring 79 is interposed between a suitable seating washer 80 resting upon the boss 72 and the nut 78, thereby permitting bodily movement of the entire spinning tool longitudinally of the head 45 upon compression of the spring 79.

The extremities of the arms 63 are provided with eyelets 83, the eyelets of the several arms being joined by means of the contractile springs 84:, 8t and 84:" in the manner shown in Fig. 4, whereby to urge the outer extremities of the arms 65 carrying the anti-friction rollers 66 into abutting relation with the cam surface 31 formed upon the inner face of the depending trackway 30.

The extreme upper end of the shaft 32 has attached thereto the nuts 85 which are adapted to seat upon a washer 86 surmounting the nut 28, the entire mechanism attached to the lower end of the shaft 32 be ing suspended by the nuts 85 when the same are seated upon the washer 86, as shown in Fig. 2. If desired, a wear plug 87 may be anchored in the upper extremity of shaft 32 for engagement by the end of the rocker arm 15.

As previously explained, the lower extremity of the sleeve 38 is hollowed out for the reception of the head l2 on the plunger 41, and this head as well as the depression l0 so shaped as to correspond to the portion of the closure cap contacting the fixed abutment formed by the sleeve 38 and the yielding plunger 41 during operation of the machine.

The closurecap to be applied to the exteriorly threaded neck of the bottle 10 is indicated at 87, and, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is provided with the depending skirt 88 and the internal sealing disc or gasket 89. Fig. 2 shows the form of the closure cap before its application to the receptacle, while Fig. 3 shows the same cap after it has been operated upon by means of the several spinning discs 76 to force the material of the skirt portions 88 into intimate contact with the receptacle.

and into such shape as to accurately 0onform with the threads upon the neck of the receptacle. H V

The upper end of the shaft 2 is journaled in a bearing located at the outer end of the bracket 12 and carries immediately thereabove a pulley 90 with which cooperates the belt 91 which is ada ted to engage the belt groove 53 formed in the outer surface of the peripheral portion 52 of the rotatable head 45.

The 0 ration of the device is as follows e receptacle 10 is first placed upon the table 9 with the closure cap 87, in the form shown in Fig.- 2, resting upon the open end of the neck. The gearing in the casing 1 is set in operation to rotate the shaft 2 and the cam 3, the head 45 being rotated through means of the belt 91, and with the head in its lowermost position as shown in F ig. 2 due to the lowering of the shaft 32 under the weight of the parts attached thereto and the influence of the 'coil spring 16 transmitted through the rocker arm 15 to the upper end of the shaft With the shaft 32 in its lowered position, and the cap 87 located below the spinning head, the plunger 41 will be projected downwardly under the influence of the spring 44 to the position shown in Fig. 2. Also in this position of the head, the anti-friction rollers 66 will contact the curved cam surface 31 of the trackway 30 at its enlarged portion and the entire set of spinning discs 76 will be lifted to their extreme height to contact with the bosses 72 under the influence of the springs 79.

Upon rotation of the cam 3 sutficiently to lift the rod 5 and the table 9 upwardly so as to bring the cap 87 into contact with the head 42, the several parts will assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 2 otthe drawings. Continued upward movement oi the table 9 will first raise the plunger all against the tension of spring 44: to bring the cap into intimate relation with the depressed cut-away portion 40 of the sleeve 38. Due to the combined pressure exerted by the springd l and the weight of the parts connected to the shaft 32, the sealing disc or gasket 89 is forcibly pressed against the open end of the neck of the receptacle so as to absolutely insure an hermetic seal being maintained. Still further continued upward moven'ient of the receptacle causes the rotatable head l5 to be moved bodily upwards axially of the shaft 32-, causing the arms 65 to be swung radially inwards due to the coaction of the anti-frietion rollers 66 with the progressively redueed portions of the cam surface 31. Inward swinging movement of the arms 65 is transmitted through the yielding connection between the lugs (31 and 67 to the part 61 rigidly attached to the upper end of the rock shaft. Rocking movement of the rock shaft causes the arms 71 to swing radially inwards so as to bring the peripheries of the spinning discs 76 into contact with the skirt portion 88 of the closure cap in the region immediately adjacent the open upper mouth of the receptacle. tions which the several parts assume at this point, with the exception of the spinning tools, are shown in Fig. 3, and the spinning discs are forcibly but yieldingly maintained pressed against the skirt portion of the closure cap. Rotationof the rotatable head thereafter carries the several spinning tools around the neck of the receptacle, the peripheries of the discs 76 adjusting their position axially of the shaft 32 so as to ride wvithin the grooves between the projecting portions forming the threads upon the receptacle neck. As the discs 76 follow the threads, the springs 79 are gradually compressed until all of the discs have been brdught to the extreme lower region of the threads. The position which the discs 76 assume at this point is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The cami3 is shaped so as to maintain the receptacle in its raised condition a sufiicient length of time to accomplish the spinning of the skirt to its full extent in the manner just described, and afterwards to lower the table withdrawing the receptacle from its raised position, as shown in Fig. 3, to its lowered position as shown in Fig. 1. When the receptacle is withdrawn, the several parts carried by the shaft 32 again assume their lowered position as shown in this figure, with the plunger 41 distended and the spinning tools elevated under the influence of springs 79 as shown in Fig. 2, in position to operate upon the closure cap of a succeeding receptacle.

Due to the resilient connection between the two parts of the two-part lever associated with the upper end of the rock shaft, the spinning discs are always forcibly urged against the skirt of the closure cap sufiiciently to assure the same being pressed into intimate contact with the formed threadson the receptacle and to conform to the shape thereof, while at the same time relieving any undue crushing effect which might be occasioned by irregularities or deformations in the neck of the receptacle.

The relative pos1-' ment sleeve 38 precludes any tendency of the cap to turn upon the receptacle thereby distorting the sealing disc or gasket 89, the receptacle being held stationary between the table 9 and the head of the abutment sleeve 38.

Although the use of the spinning head forming the subject of this invention has been described in connection with a supporting table 9 which is bodily elevated and lowered by means of the cam 3 driven by the gearing in the casing 1, it is to be understood that the receptacle to which the closure cap is to be applied may be pressed forcibly upwards so as to bring the spinning discs into operation in any desired manner, either through the instrumentality of automatic mechanism of various kinds or by means manually controlled by the operator, and that if desired, the successive receptacles may be fed into operative relation and removed from the spinning head after capping by apparatus of various kinds. Such additional auxiliary apparatus form no part of the present invention.

It is also noted that by properly adjusting the height of the standard 11, so as to sup-- port the head 45 at the necessary distance above the table 9, the machine will function in the manner described for applying closure caps to receptacles of various heights.

It is particularly pointed out that the invention operates in an efficient manner to secure the application of the closure caps so as to assure hermetic sealing, without tending to deform the sealing gasket by retative movement with respectto the receptacle during the application of the cap, while at the same tiine producing a threaded cap which may be subsequently removed and reapplied in the fashion ordinarily employed generally in connection with thread ed caps now in use.

While I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, as required by the Patent Statutes, it is obvious that may changes in the association of the several parts as well as changes in details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the scope particularly defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for applying a closure cap having a plain depending skirt to ascrewthreaded exterior surface of the mouth of a receptacle, the combination of gripping mechanism for firmly holding a cap upon the mouth of a receptacle with its plain skirt adjacent to the screw threads of the receptacle, a freely rotatable disk mounted for movements to and from engagement with the cap skirt, and means for eflecting relative rotation between the disk and cap, said disk and gripping mechanism bein mounted for relative movements longitudinally of the receptacle during said relative rotation for causlng the disk to follow the thread of the receptacle to progressively form a cooperating thread on the cap skirt.

2. In a machine for applying a closure cap having a plain depending skirt to a screw-threaded exterior surface of the mouth of a receptacle, the combination of gripping mechanism for firmly holding a cap upon the mouth of a receptacle with its plain skirt adjacent to the screw threads of the receptacle, a freely rotatable disk mounted for movements to and from engagement with the cap skirt, and means for rotating said disk around and in contact with a cap skirt, said disk and gripping mechanism bein mounted for relative movements lon itu inally of the receptacle to cause the dlsk to follow the thread of the receptacle to progressively form a cooperating thread on the cap skirt. I

3. In a machine for applying a closure cap having a plain depending skirt to a screw-threaded I exterior surface of the mouth of a receptacle, the combination of gripping mechanism for firmly holding a cap upon the-mouth of a receptacle with its plain skirt adjacent to the screw threads of the receptacle, a freely rotatable disk mounted for movements to and from engagement with the cap skirt, and means for rotating said disk around and in contact with a cap skirt, said disk being yieldingly mounte for movements lon itudinall of the receptacle to cause the dlsk to fol ow the threads of the receptacle toprogressively form a cooperating thread on the cap skirt.

4. A machine for applying closure caps to receptacles comprising a bodily suspended shaft having an axial bore, and an adjustable cylindrical sleeve carried by said shaft, the end face of the said sleeve providing a primar abutment for the cap on the receptacle uring application thereof, a plunger slidmgly mounted in the sleeve an projecting within the said bore yieldingly urged in a direction to project outwardly beyond the said sleeve, the end face of the plunger formin a secondary abutment for the said cap, t e end faces of both the sleeve and plunger being adapted to form a substantially continuous surface when flush with each other, a revoluble head journaled on said shaft, a bodily movable shaping tool carried by the said shaft and means for moving the said tool towards and away from the axis of said shaft.

5. A machine for applying closure caps to receptacles comprising a support, a shaft suspended from the support, said shaft being longitudinally movable but non-rotatable in said support, a revoluble head journaled on the shaft and movable therewith as a unit, a rock shaft journaled in the head, an arm fixed to the rock shaft, a spinning tool mounted in said arm and capable of bodily movement therein axially of the head tension means for resiliently urging the tool in one direction axially of the head, a lever on the rock shaft, said lever comprising two parts, one of said parts being fixed to the rock shaft, the remainingpart being rotatable thereon, means for resiliently connecting the said parts, and a fixed trackway cooperating with the said second part whereby to actuate the rock shaft.

6. A machine for applying closure caps to rece tacles comprising a support, a shaft suspen ed from the support, said shaft being longitudinally movable but non-rotatable in said support, a yieldable abutment carried by the shaft, a revoluble head journaled on the shaft and movable therewith as a unit, a rock shaft journaled in the head, an arm fixed to the rock shaft, a spinning tool mounted in said arm and ca able of bodily movement therein axially of t e head, tension means for resiliently urging the tool in one direction axially of the head, a lever on the rock shaft, said lever com rising two parts, one of said parts being ed to the rock shaft, the remaining part being rotatable thereon, means for resiliently connecting the said arts, a stationary traekway cooperating wit the said second part whereby to actuate the rock shaft,-and tension means connected to the first named part for maintaining the second part in contact with the trackway].

In testimony w ereof, I sign my name.

J OHN E. SHARP. 

